We use cookies to improve your experience, some are essential for the operation of this site.

Illustration depicting the formation of the Samoan Islands chain.

Illustration depicting the formation of the Samoan Islands chain.
Illustration depicting the formation of the Samoan Islands chain.
Illustration depicting the formation of the Samoan Islands chain.
Illustration depicting the formation of the Samoan Islands chain.
Comments (0)
135374
Doucette, Jayne H.
Illustration depicting the formation of the Samoan Islands chain.
Illustration
05/09/2008
SamoaPlateShift.jpg
Caption from Oceanus, Vol. 46, No. 2, Pg. 17:
Like Hawaii, the Samoan Islands form over a hotspot--a plume of hot, buoyant magma that rises from deep within Earth's mantle and through its crust and erupts to form volcanic islands. The Samoan chain formed as the overlying Pacific Plate moved over the stationary hotspot.
Illustration by Jayne Doucette
© Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Labels
This item includes these files
Image
Image
Collections